[Genealib] Genealogy Service to Prison Inmates

[Susan Scouras]

This is my point exactly.  We can not make judgements about patrons when
we do not have obvious information in front of us that indicates this
person is out to to do harm.  We do not have the right to question
patrons about why they want information, unless we couch it in terms of
being able to suggest alternate resources if we know the reason behind a
specific question.  [For example: Someone is wanting a birth record, but
can't find one.  Their reason is to identify parents.  We can then point
them toward census or marriage records, or even death records as other
sources for determing parents.]  

You can't always identify the truly dangerous people that write letters
or walk through the library doors.  The most dangerous person to visit
us recently was immediately identifiable to most of us as probably
psychotic, but he was not researching family history.  (This person
murdered his mother two weeks after his last library visit.  His family
had been trying unsuccessfully for some time to have him committed.)
Actually the subjects for which he requested resources are "danger
signals" to our staff, because they are most frequently requested by
either youngsters who are science fiction fans and pretty easily
recognized as harmless, or by people who either immediately or over time
demonstrate indications of mental illnesses. The subjects?  Mothman, and
the Silver Bridge tragedy, especially when requested at the same time.
There are those who make connections between the reported appearance of
a creature dubbed "Mothman" and the subsequent failure of the Silver
Bridge in the same area. An inordinate percentage of them make our staff
uncomfortable. 

This is really a question of censorship in reverse, and we must be
careful where we draw the lines and what precedents we establish.  This
discussion has not been about censoring the materials chosen for our
collections for all to use, but selectively censoring patrons in terms
of what parts of the collection we allow them to use. Working through
prison librarians is the best choice for that population, but we have to
be very careful in denying access to patrons based on our suspicions
alonge.  As I said before, we can not deny them access to public records
and public library collections, but I think we can be very careful how
much assistance we provide in using those collections when we have
doubts about the intent of the researcher.

Susan Scouras
Librarian
WV Archives and History Library
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, WV  25305-0300
(304) 558-0230, Ext. 742
 


-----Original Message-----
From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Craig R.
Scott
Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 11:53 AM
To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: Re: [Genealib] Genealogy Service to Prison Inmates
Importance: Low


Since this was of possible financial benefit to
> these people, does that make the privacy question or security issue 
> less valid or just as valid as the concerns expressed about stalkers?

> Keep in mind, we still do not know for sure exactly who these people 
> were working for and the exact purpose of their research.

Is it the habit of genealogical repositories to know for sure exactly
who 
someone is working for and the exact purpose of their research in order
to 
determine the quality and quantity of assistance to provide them?

I hope not. In fact I don't believe that is a determination that needs
to be 
considered when a person walks through your doors.

And exactly how is an person searching land ownership and descent for a
fee 
any different from a professional genealogist using your facility to 
research for a client for a fee?

The joy of dealing with heir searchers and that ilk is that they usually

know what they are doing and know where to look. They tend to fly under
the 
radar, except when they have a circuit, and you see them every day or
so. If 
an heir searcher needs to interface with the staff a lot they do not
stay 
heir searchers for very long. The competition is too stiff at least on
the 
intestate side of the house. I know, I learned some of my best
courthouse 
techniques being a heir searcher in the mid-90s before Willow Bend
Books. I 
didn't like the job, but I learned a lot about courthouses.

C.

Craig R. Scott, CG
President & CEO
Heritage Books, Inc.
65 East Main Street
Westminster, MD 21157

800 876-6103
410 876-6101
(fax) 410 871-2674
crscott at HeritageBooks.com

Visit our websites www.HeritageBooks.com and www.WillowBendBooks.com

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